diff --git a/lib/mu-xapian-db.cc b/lib/mu-xapian-db.cc
index ddc2c115..bd5f817c 100644
--- a/lib/mu-xapian-db.cc
+++ b/lib/mu-xapian-db.cc
@@ -51,12 +51,6 @@ XapianDb::read_only() const
 	return !std::holds_alternative<Xapian::WritableDatabase>(db_);
 }
 
-const std::string&
-XapianDb::path() const
-{
-	return path_;
-}
-
 void
 XapianDb::set_timestamp(const std::string_view key)
 {
@@ -102,8 +96,7 @@ make_db(const std::string& db_path, Flavor flavor)
 XapianDb::XapianDb(const std::string& db_path, Flavor flavor):
 	path_(make_path(db_path, flavor)),
 	db_(make_db(path_, flavor)),
-	batch_size_{Config(*this).get<Config::Id::BatchSize>()} // default
-{
+	batch_size_{Config(*this).get<Config::Id::BatchSize>()/*default*/} {
 	if (flavor == Flavor::CreateOverwrite)
 		set_timestamp(MetadataIface::created_key);
 
diff --git a/lib/mu-xapian-db.hh b/lib/mu-xapian-db.hh
index 27921b77..24dbf593 100644
--- a/lib/mu-xapian-db.hh
+++ b/lib/mu-xapian-db.hh
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ template <typename Func> void
 xapian_try(Func&& func) noexcept
 try {
 	func();
+} catch (const Mu::Error& me) {
+	mu_critical("{}: mu error '{}'", __func__, me.what());
 } catch (const Xapian::Error& xerr) {
 	mu_critical("{}: xapian error '{}'", __func__, xerr.get_msg());
 } catch (const std::runtime_error& re) {
@@ -64,6 +66,9 @@ template <typename Func, typename Default = std::invoke_result<Func>> auto
 xapian_try(Func&& func, Default&& def) noexcept -> std::decay_t<decltype(func())>
 try {
 	return func();
+} catch (const Mu::Error& me) {
+	mu_critical("{}: mu error '{}'", __func__, me.what());
+	return static_cast<Default>(def);
 } catch (const Xapian::DocNotFoundError& xerr) {
 	return static_cast<Default>(def);
 } catch (const Xapian::Error& xerr) {
@@ -84,6 +89,9 @@ template <typename Func> auto
 xapian_try_result(Func&& func) noexcept -> std::decay_t<decltype(func())>
 try {
 	return func();
+
+} catch (const Mu::Error& me) {
+	return Err(std::move(me));
 } catch (const Xapian::DatabaseNotFoundError& nferr) {
 	return Err(Error{Error::Code::Xapian, "failed to open database"}.
 		   add_hint("Try (re)creating using `mu init'"));
@@ -128,13 +136,13 @@ struct MetadataIface {
 
 
 /// In-memory db
-struct MemDb: public MetadataIface {
+struct MemDb final: public MetadataIface {
 	/**
 	 * Create a new memdb
 	 *
 	 * @param readonly read-only? (for testing)
 	 */
-	MemDb(bool readonly=false):read_only_{readonly} {}
+	explicit MemDb(bool readonly=false):read_only_{readonly} {}
 
 	/**
 	 * Set some metadata
@@ -188,7 +196,7 @@ private:
 /**
  * Fairly thin wrapper around Xapian::Database and Xapian::WritableDatabase
  */
-class XapianDb: public MetadataIface {
+class XapianDb final: public MetadataIface {
 public:
 	/**
 	 * Type of database to create.
@@ -211,8 +219,9 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * DTOR
 	 */
-	~XapianDb() {
-		if (!read_only())
+	~XapianDb() override {
+		// shouldn't use read_only() here, since that's virtual.
+		if (std::holds_alternative<Xapian::WritableDatabase>(db_))
 			request_commit(true/*force*/);
 		mu_debug("closing db");
 	}
@@ -237,7 +246,9 @@ public:
 	 *
 	 * @return path to database
 	 */
-	const std::string& path() const;
+	const std::string& path() const {
+		return path_;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Get a description of the Xapian database
@@ -500,7 +511,7 @@ private:
 	Xapian::WritableDatabase& wdb();
 
 	std::string path_;
-	DbType	db_;
+	DbType db_;
 	size_t changes_{};
 	bool in_transaction_{};
 	size_t batch_size_;